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Virtual patching

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hubertbyerr
Virtual patching

Virtual patching is an evolution of long-term vulnerability management, where the protection of an entire network is threatened by a previously unknown vulnerability that could be exploited remotely. Vulnerability scanning and response are two different but parallel approaches to addressing this new threat. Both are needed in today's highly targeted enterprise network environment.

Virtual patching is basically the fast evolution and short term implementation of an existing security policy intended to keep a vulnerability from being exploited due to a newly found vulnerability. A virtual patching is also sometimes referred to as a Web application security (WAS) tool. A virtual patch is usually a fast, short-lived repair job for an embedded piece of software. While the short-lived nature of these patches means that a company or organization may not have immediate visibility into the system they work in, the ease with which they can be implemented minimizes the time-to-market for exploits.

For most companies, virtual patching is utilized to respond to recent vulnerabilities that have been discovered on their network or server. There are some web applications that have been written in such a way that web application security breaches could be very damaging. In order to keep these types of systems secure, web application security breaches require immediate response and execution. In addition, SQL injection vulnerabilities do not only allow attackers to gain access to database information, they also allow them to escalate their privileges, execute malicious codes, and shut down or delete systems.

The primary purpose of a virtual patch is to hide an attack or security vulnerability rather than respond to it. The purpose of this type of patch implementation is to mask an exploitable security vulnerability rather than to secure it. With an application security breach, a company would need to secure their infrastructure first before patching would be necessary. If an SQL injection vulnerability is found during the development process, the patch would just disclose the issue rather than addressing it. This allows an attacker to easily gain unauthorized access to critical system information.

Not all patches are created equal. Some application security patches are self-published, meaning the developer releases them to the public without first securing the results of their testing. These "unpatched" or "orphaned" patches have the potential to harm systems by exposing them to malicious software. Many web development companies publish their own proprietary patches. Virtual patching helps to mitigate the risk posed by these self-published, unstable patches. In addition, because they are rarely published, legitimate distribution channels do not have a liability or credibility issues.

Many applications rely on a number of pre-existing, stable modules and systems that they develop and test on their own. In cases where multiple developers to contribute to a software package, the results of their testing can sometimes become unstable or erroneous. A number of patches can be released to address this issue, but in an event of an emergency patching can save the day. When several developers are trying to break into a source code base and fail, the emergency patch will usually provide the stabilization that a software vendor needs to put their packages back on track.

Most of the time, though, it's not a matter of life and death, but more of an inconvenience and annoyance. With a simple website or web application, it's often necessary to update the information stored on user profiles, database fields, and application code paths. A small, easy to deploy patch can quickly and efficiently address these needs without disrupting the rest of the system. Even with large, complex websites and application environments, there are plenty of small updates that can make a big difference. For these occasions, a skilled, well-trained team of Web designers can often provide the help needed to secure the update and get the site online again.

There are a few potential drawbacks to virtual patching, particularly when it comes to securing exploits against web applications. In particular, this type of testing is often used for detecting a false positive vulnerability, where a software program has been installed without the knowledge of the end user, or a false negative vulnerability, where a previously undisclosed security flaw has been found and a patch must be created to correct the issue. While these issues can occur, they are typically rare and not well worth the risk of a manual test. If a web applications development company is looking to provide their clients with a high level of security, and a quick and easy way to test their application with a simple browser, then virtual patching will likely meet their needs.

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